Taxpayers hold event to help pay for lawsuit

CORNWALL — You don't often hear of residents volunteering to help their local government or school district with their legal bills. Most people figure: I pay my taxes. That's enough.

BY MICHAEL RANDALL

CORNWALL — You don't often hear of residents volunteering to help their local government or school district with their legal bills. Most people figure: I pay my taxes. That's enough.

But a grass-roots group called Save our Schools, Save our Streams (SOS) is planning a fundraiser June 7 to help cover the legal expenses for an expected court challenge of a Woodbury development likely to bring hundreds of new students into Cornwall schools.

The Town of Cornwall, the Cornwall School District and the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson plan to file what's known as an Article 78 proceeding. They want to overturn a zoning change that paves the way for a new development called Legacy Ridge. The development of four-bedroom homes in the Village of Woodbury plans at least 287 units. The old zoning allowed only 164 units.

"We're all in the same boat," said Anthony Incanno, head of SOS. "We know it's going to be expensive, so we are trying to help out."

Opposition began with the school district, which raised concerns that it might not be able to handle all the extra students effectively in its current facilities. The affected part of Woodbury is in the Cornwall district.

The town and village, whose residents all send their kids to Cornwall schools, agreed to join in the court action.

The developers estimated there will be only about one student per home, but opponents have disputed that math — especially given that each home has four bedrooms.

All three plaintiffs have stressed they are not trying to stop Legacy Ridge altogether — only the larger version permitted by the zoning change.

The town is serving as lead agency in the suit. No timetable for filing the challenge has been announced, but Supervisor Kevin Quigley said he expects to hear from the town's lawyer on the status of the action at Monday's Town Board work session.

The fundraiser will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. June 7 at the home of Betsy and Tod Delaney, 17 Willowbrook Lane, off Taylor Road in the Mountainville section of Cornwall. SOS is asking for donations of $25 per person. For more information or directions call 534-7814.